Tubular hose having an external layer provided with a code and a method for the manufacture thereof

Abstract

A tubular hose for transporting fluids in industrial installations and a method for the manufacture thereof. The tubular hose includes an external layer of a polymeric material, preferably silicone, provided with a code, intaglio engraved using a laser on the external surface of the external layer formed by a plurality of grooves arranged according to a pattern of the code. The grooves are at least partially filled with a filler material with a colored polymeric base which produces a visual contrast with the rest of the external surface of the external layer. The code is preferably a QR CODE.

1 . A tubular hose for transporting fluids in industrial installations which comprises an external layer made of a polymeric material provided with a code intaglio engraved using a laser on the external surface of the external layer formed by a plurality of grooves arranged according to a pattern of the code, in which the grooves are at least partially filled with a filler material with a colored polymeric base which produces a visual contrast with the rest of the external surface of the external layer. 
     
     
         2 . The tubular hose according to  claim 1 , wherein the polymeric material of the external layer is silicone and wherein the filler material is an ink which comprises silicone. 
     
     
         3 . The tubular hose according to  claim 2 , wherein the silicone of the ink of the filler material is silicone which is curable by heating. 
     
     
         4 . The tubular hose according to  claim 3 , wherein the ink of the filler material is curable at a temperature of between 100° C. and 180° C. 
     
     
         5 . The tubular hose according to  claim 2 , wherein the filler material completely occupies the hollow of the grooves until it the filler material is level with the rest of the external surface of the external layer. 
     
     
         6 . The tubular hose according to  claim 2 , wherein the code is a two-dimensional code. 
     
     
         7 . The tubular hose according to  claim 6 , wherein a depth of the grooves which form the code is between 0.001 mm and 1 cm. 
     
     
         8 . The tubular hose according to  claim 6 , wherein the hose is a flexible hose. 
     
     
         9 . A method for manufacturing a tubular hose for transporting fluids in industrial installations, provided with a code which comprises the steps of:
 a) providing a tubular hose comprising an external layer made of a polymeric material;   b) intaglio engraving a code, using a laser on the external surface of the external layer, forming a plurality of grooves arranged according to a pattern of the code; and   c) at least partially filling the grooves which form the code with a filler material with a colored polymeric base which produces a visual contrast with the rest of the external surface of the external layer.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the polymeric material of the external layer is silicone and wherein the filler material is an ink which comprises silicone. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the ink of the filler material is curable by heating and wherein after step c) follows a step d) for curing the ink in which the hose, or at least a part of the hose which comprises the code, is exposed to a heat source until a curing temperature of the ink of the filler material is reached. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the curing temperature of the filler material is between 100° C. and 180° C. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the curing time of the filler material is between 3 and 15 minutes. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein in step c) the grooves formed by the laser are completely filled with the filler material until the filler material is levelled with the rest of the external surface of the external layer. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the engraved code is a two-dimensional code. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the engraved code is a two-dimensional code. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein a depth of the grooves which form the code is between 0.001 mm and 1 cm. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the tubular hose is a flexible hose. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the engraving of the code in step b) is realized using a laser tube applying a laser beam displacement technique.